Oh, My
by Lord Iron-Balls
Summary: My shot at a R/K matchup. Chapter 2: Ranma's thoughts on falling for Kasumi... this is going to be a 3-chapter story.
1. Kasumi

This started out like my 'Tributes to Feh' (randomly inspired, hour to an hour and a half   
to write) but I got stuck. I realized that I couldn't write it like 'A Tribute to Feh', since   
the pairing is such that all the reviews would be along the lines of "What the hell?". It's   
going to have to be longer than one part – hopefully I'll actually be able to write the other   
ones. I reworked this part and posted it in the hopes of getting myself to start writing   
again.   
  
Unfortunately, I have a bad case of writer's block relating to the World Trade Center   
attacks. I am horrified at the scope of these attacks, and confused as to what I think   
should be done. Usually I am a very confident person, and generally at least seem to   
know what I'm doing, but inside sometimes I'm not. I won't go in depth about the   
disaster here, though, since I'm sure my feelings are shared by all of you. Basically, when   
I tried writing Remnants after the attack, my darker feelings transfered themselves into   
the fic. While it has turned into a dark fic, some of the stuff I wrote made it, in my   
opinion, too dark to recover from. I'm working on making it a bit less dark.   
  
As for The Feh Squad, I'm afraid it may be a little longer before I recover my sense of   
humor enough to finish the next part – plus, I've just been too utterly exhausted by school   
to do anything these days.   
  
I apologize for any inconvenience/disappointment. If you like my stories, or have any   
ideas on what you want to see next, I'm open to suggestions right now. Now, about this   
fic...   
  
Well, recently I've been reading fanfiction to distract me. Although I am a firm believer   
in Ranma/Akane, I found some great stories at the Church of Ranma and Kasumi   
involving (you guessed it) Ranma – Kasumi matchups. I feel it to be an intriguing   
possibility – you never see her character developed, but I think she could fall for a guy   
like Ranma. And she's the only one who really treats him well.   
  
Oh yes, disclaimer. *grumble grumble* Me no own Ranma. Me want to, but me don't.   
You no sue. Me no have cash if you did sue, so it not do you any good. Me need to stop   
writing like this.   
  
So, here goes my shot at R/K...   
  
Lord Iron-Balls Presents:   
  
A Feh Masters Production:   
  
  
  
  
OH, MY   
  
  
  
Oh, my.   
  
I finally admitted it to myself today. Who knows how it works, but Ranma's charm has   
claimed another victim. Me. That's right. I, Kasumi Tendo, have fallen in love with   
Ranma Saotome.   
  
Surprised, aren't you? Thought I was stuck on Dr. Tofu? He's a sweet guy – he really is –   
and maybe I could have fallen for him someday, but then Ranma came, and my life   
changed forever.   
  
He's like a rogue planet – coming in and turning Nerima upside-down just by being here.   
The normal level of craziness in this place – which was, let me tell you, very high – has   
gone through the roof since he came. I tried so hard not to get myself caught up in the   
whirlwind, but he got even me.   
  
See, now I'm thinking about him again. Just picturing that one time I saw him standing   
on the fence, smiling at me when I gave him his lunch, with that charming smile of his.   
The smile of a guy who I know has a nice heart, no matter what anyone else sees in him.   
Oh, my. Now I'm breathing harder and my pulse is up again. Why does he affect me like   
this? No one else ever has.   
  
How long ago did I start to fall for him? I really don't know. I'll admit that I was scared   
of the change he brought at first – after Mother's death, I dealt by turning into the perfect   
little housewife, and have kept that role to this day. When he showed up with his curse   
and all, I was put off by the already present signs of the chaos he would cause. I didn't   
want that change in my life. Now I find myself regretting that I didn't take the chance.   
  
I began to realize, watching him and the incredible amounts of chaos that he caused, that   
I was not content with my life the way it was. That even I wanted some excitement. And   
then that undefinable something about him that attracts all those girls – I would call it the   
Saotome charm, but his father lacks it – began to affect me too. For the longest time, I   
suppressed it and told myself that I couldn't be falling for him too, that I only liked older   
guys, any excuse I could think of, but now I've finally admitted it. It was the little things   
that wore me down. The offers to help, his bumbling but adorable efforts to make up with   
Akane, those little kindnesses he does so unthinkingly, those eyes, his smile...   
  
Oh, my. I know I shouldn't think about this – me, Kasumi, the proper one – but Ranma-   
kun does have quite the body. I'm not really the old maid everyone thinks I am. I just   
hide my attractions. And I am very attracted to Ranma Saotome.   
  
I just wish I knew how he felt about me. Oh, who am I kidding. Ranma doesn't see   
anything in me but Kasumi the older sister, Kasumi the housewife, Kasumi the... Oh,   
kami, I don't even want to think about it. I just wish he would be happy. I've dedicated   
my life to making sure other people would be happy, and I want Ranma to be most of all.   
Kami-sama knows he deserves it. But I guess there's some selfishness in there too.   
Maybe he and Akane could be happy together. The potential is there – I'm not blind. But   
it would take a long time and a lot more pain. I don't want to see him in pain. I want to   
make him happy, and I think I could give Ranma more happiness than Akane ever could.   
I'm sorry, little sister. I love you, but I want to spend my life with your fiance.   
  
And... he would make me so happy. I know it.   
  
Oh, my.   
  
He just came in. I'm trying to calm myself down here, but I don't know if I can talk to   
him right now, not after what I've been thinking. I hope he'll just leave me alone.   
  
No such luck. "Kasumi? You okay?" Even the sound of his voice sends shivers down my   
spine these days.   
  
"H-hai, Ranma. I'm fine." I avert my eyes. Why does my voice have to waver? Can't I   
keep even a little control? Unfortunately, Ranma, while usually being about as sensative   
and tactful as a brick wall (not to mention harder to damage) notices. He puts his hand on   
my shoulder and tilts my head up. I'm losing myself in his eyes. Control... I need control.   
He just said something, but I didn't catch it.   
  
"What was that, Ranma-kun?"   
  
"I said you looked like you might be coming down with something. Are you really sure   
you're ok?"   
  
No, Ranma, I'm not. Not while I'm not with you. "I – I suppose I'm feeling a little under   
the weather..."   
  
Unfortunately, at this moment the usual Nerima antics break loose. Daddy heard my last   
comment.   
  
"WAAAAAAAAAH!!!! MY LITTLE BABY IS DYING!!! WAAAAAAH!!!"   
  
"Honestly, Daddy, I'm fine, I'm just feeling a little tired and..."   
  
"Are you sure that's all, sis? You were looking kind of... red a moment ago when you   
were talking to Ranma." She says this with a smirk on her face. Leave it to Nabiki to be   
the only one to see what I feel for Ranma. I give her a desperate look. Please don't say   
anything, little sister...   
  
Oh, my. Akane has taken this the wrong way. Again. "Ranma you pervert! How dare you   
hit on my sister!"   
  
Ranma goes into denial mode. I can see where this is headed. "A-Akane! I didn't do   
anything! Honest!"   
  
"Like I'm going to believe a pervert like you!" She pulls out her mallet and Ranma is   
sent on yet another one way trip courtesy Akane Airlines. I'm sick of it. Even if I can't   
have him, I can at least try to make his life less miserable. I disengage from Daddy, who   
is still sobbing into my apron.   
  
"AKANE! How dare you do that to Ranma! He did absolutely nothing of the kind – he   
was just being nice and seeing if I was ok! If this is the way you're going to treat him for   
being concerned with your own family then you don't deserve him!" With that, I turn and   
head to my room, leaving a stunned Akane, Nabiki and Daddy staring after me.   
  
Oh, my. I said a bit too much there. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be hearing from Nabiki   
soon...   
  
  
Sure enough, later that evening my younger sister knocks on the door, then pokes her   
head in. "So, sis, you want to explain that little scene back there? Why did you yell at   
Akane? And what is going on between you and Ranma?"   
  
She leans against the wall in a pose that I can see is the same one that she uses when   
she's getting money out of people. I sigh. I can't get out of this one now.   
  
"I'm not going to get by with an easy denial on this one, I can tell." She nods. "Well, if   
you want anything out of me, you're not going to tell it to anyone else, even for money.   
And I mean that." I look at her with the desperation of someone who is trying to protect   
her greatest secret. Which I suppose I am. Nabiki looks like she's having a struggle, but   
I've been so nice to her over the years that she accepts pretty quickly.   
  
"Alright, Kasumi. This being you, I promise you that there is absolutely no way I'll tell   
anyone this unless you want me to. So what's your secret, huh? You falling in love with   
the macho jerk too or something?" She snorts, not actually taking it as a possibility.   
  
Until, that is, I nod my head silently.   
  
If this situation were switched, I'm pretty sure I'd respond as I usually do, with 'Oh, my'.   
Nabiki, on the other hand, starts forward and nearly falls on her face, sputtering to get   
words out.   
  
"WHAT! You've gotta be kidding me! I thought for sure you'd end up with the Doc once   
you managed to get yourself out of housewife mode!"   
  
I shake my head again. "So did I, once. But then I fell in love with Ranma. I don't really   
know why it happened – but love is like that. Unexplainable. And... hopeless." I bow my   
head so she won't see the tear slip down my cheek.   
  
Nabiki whistles. She can see that I mean it. "Well, well, well. Who would'a thought,   
huh? You were always the only one who managed to keep yourself out of the chaos – and   
all the time you were falling for the guy in the center of it."   
  
I nod again, my shoulders starting to shake. I really can't keep in control anymore when I   
think about this, and since this is the first time I've talked about it, I'm really beginning   
to lose it. I sniff and try to get out words around the lump in my throat. "Kind of ironic,   
isn't it? Not that I'll ever have him." Somehow, being around Nabiki is forcing me to   
think about this rationally. And that's the conclusion I'm coming up with every time.   
  
Nabiki is known as the 'Ice Queen' here in Nerima for her moneymaking schemes. And   
there are times when even I think she deserves it – but for the most part it's only to   
support us. Keeping the Dojo in good shape is a lot more expensive than it seems, and   
Nabiki is the one who keeps us in the black. The other thing about her that almost no-one   
really knows is how much she cares about her family.   
  
She wraps her arms around me. "Hey, Kasumi, it's not as bad as that. Don't give up hope   
yet."   
  
"Please... just leave me alone right now..."   
  
"All right. I'll go. Cheer up, big sister. He's not as out of reach as you think." With that,   
she leaves.   
  
Oh, Nabiki. Why did you have to say that? Are you just saying it to make me feel better?   
I know you want me to cheer up, but that's the most painful thing you could have said. If   
you'd told me that it really was hopeless, maybe I could have gotten over it eventually.   
But now there's a little part of me that keeps hoping it's not. If anyone knows Ranma, it's   
you.   
  
Did you really mean it, Nabiki? Is there hope for me and Ranma?   
  
Or am I just another girl chasing after an impossible dream?   
  
  
  
  
AN: Well, there's chapter 1. There will probably be three chapters in this if I ever   
manage to finish it. Please review/send me email/yell at me to work on my other stuff   
before I collapse from exhaustion. Junior year of high school is not fun. 


	2. Ranma

Yatta! Vacation! I can WRITE now! Maybe I'll actually update stuff like Remnants, or dare I say it, the Feh Squad! Hell, I've been too tired to play computer games, and THAT is saying something.  
  
This is, as I'm sure you know, Chapter 2 of Oh, My, my R+K matchup. It contains Ranma's thoughts over the same time period. I plan to continue this at least one more chapter - nothing gets resolved in this one. Sorry. After that, whether or not I continue it is up to you people in Readerland who have deigned to spend their time reading my forays, albeit inconsistent, into the field of fanfiction.  
  
I'll get started with this now; expect more random babbling at the end.  
  
Lord Iron-Balls Presents:  
  
A Feh Masters Production:  
  
Oh My, Chapter 2: Ranma  
  
Well, I've finally made my choice. No, ya idiots, gimme a second before you start goin' hysterical. Feh. This whole mess has made me more insane than I thought. I've gotten so bad that I'm being defensive in my own head. No one is going to hear this. And I still can't keep myself from going into Anti- Mallet defensive mode. Not that it helps in real life.  
  
Back to my original point. It's not Akane. It's not Ukyo. It's not Shampoo. And no, I didn't find out about some new fiancée that Pops pulled out of our screwed-up past. If you know the Nerima gang, you know her. And ya probably like her. A lot. Everyone does, but no one really pays attention to her. She's the great cook, the great housecleaner, the one island of sanity in this whole crazy mess we call Nerima. She's there when no one else is. She's willing to listen to your problems when everyone else would exploit them for their own damn agenda. If ya haven't guessed by now, I'm talking 'bout Kasumi.  
  
Yeah. Kasumi. Pick your jaw up off the floor. Feh. Nothing should be all that strange in Nerima. Not even this.  
  
All right. I guess that is a good point. I haven't been exactly Mr. Decisive, have I? It's been a year, and I've had almost every girl in Nerima and a few from out of it throw themselves at me. Hell, if I haven't done anything about it by now, why expect that I ever will?  
  
So ya expected one of my 'three fiancées'. Good. At least ya didn't include Kodachi. Crazy girl. Anyone who thinks I'd choose her deserves to go to the same mental institution I'm sure she'll be sent to one of these days.  
  
Shampoo's the same story. Sure, she's got quite the body, but that ain't much concern to me. I mean, if I haven't taken advantage of it being thrown at me every opportunity she gets, I'm not gonna now. The girl's nuts. Not as bad as Kodachi, but still nuts. She's tried every weird trick in the very large book of them that her 'great-grandmother' has. And when you've been around as long as Cologne, that's a lot. Drugs, medallions, pressure points, even shampoos. I am sick of it. Yeah, ya heard me right. Even the great Ranma Saotome doesn't have a limitless supply of patience.  
  
Feh. My patience went out the window a long time ago. Lucky I got to take it out on Saffron, or I was gonna break pretty soon.  
  
Ukyo - she's a nice girl, really. But why can't she just accept that I love her as a friend. Or a sister. She just ain't the girl for me to marry. I've thought of her as my 'buddy Ucchan' - a GUY - for too long. Even if I've modified that considering the fact that she's a girl - a cute one, I'm not denying' her that - I still ain't been able to think about her in that way. Sure, she's a great cook, a great friend. But that's all. A friend. How many times do I have to explain this to her? Or the rest of the town? Kami, it's earned me enough trips via Akane Airways.  
  
Feh. Akane. Don't get me started on her right now. I ain't in a good enough mood. I've put up with it for long enough now. Every day. Trips to Tofu's clinic, the pond, any inconvenient place I happen to land. Over her own stupid delusions. Sometimes I get the feeling that the girl sees me as her property or somethin'. Not in any romantic sense - just a piece of territory with 'Akane's - No Girls Allowed' written on it. I gave up on tryin' to understand a while ago. Sure, I used to kinda have a crush on her - despite all my complaints, my 'Uncute Tomboys', she is cute. There's a reason why most of the school is obsessed with the girl. But that's evaporated now. I killed a GOD for her! Almost married her, for cryin' out loud! And she still goes back to the same old routine. I can't stand it. I've been on the edge for over a month now. There's only one thing that's kept me sane.  
  
Yep. Kasumi. Kami, she's sweet. She doesn't care about what, when, why. She's willing to help me when the whole world seems to be against me. Those times when I just wanna close up, hide behind my cocky grin, my 'Ranma Saotome can't lose' attitude and the word feh. When I'm close as I can be to vaporizing Nabiki's photo collection with a Moko Takabisha and turnin' a fire hose on Ryoga when Akane's standin' right there. She calms me down. And in turn I've gotten to know her. Better than everyone who sees her as everythin' I've described earlier. I don't know how she does it. Where Nabiki smirks from behind a wall of ice and supports the family with her little enterprises - yeah, she told me about that. I don't have to like the girl, but I do respect what she's doin'. It's made it a little easier to accept her extortions. Not like I use the money anyway. Ah, I get distracted too easily. Kasumi doesn't pretend like the rest of us. She helps everyone as best she can. Straight out. She doesn't ask for anything in return. Kami, it makes me real angry sometimes. The way everyone just blows her off. Expects it from her. I may not be Mr. Smooth, but I always try 'n let her know how much she's appreciated.  
  
Well, I'm back from school. Alone as usual. I generally manage to lose the gang on the way home these days. Gives me a few minutes to talk to Kasumi at least. I enter the kitchen. She's standing there, but her cheeks seem a bit flushed and she purposefully ain't lookin' at me. How like Kasumi. She's probably feeling sick and doesn't want anyone to know about it.  
  
I'm not goin' to let her get away with it. She deserves care as much as the rest of us. "Kasumi? You okay?"  
  
"H-hai, Ranma. I'm fine." Her voice wavers a bit. Not a good sign. "Sure? You look like you might be comin' down with somethin'."  
  
She looks up, apparently not having heard me. "What was that, Ranma-kun?" Ranma-kun. I love it when she calls me that. I know it's just her being nice, but it gives me something to pretend about.  
  
"I said you looked like you might be coming down with something. Are you really sure you're ok?" I can't help myself. I cup her chin and tilt her head up. I'm gettin' lost in her eyes... Snap out of it!  
  
"I - I suppose I'm feeling a little under the weather..." Thought so. She's gonna get some rest if I have to carry her to bed myself. Ugh. Don't go there, Saotome. Kasumi and bed in the same sentence. No, NO! Get your mind out of the gutter.  
  
What? You're surprised? Me, the great Ranma Saotome, resister of Shampoo's charms, is affected that much by Kasumi's physical charms? Yeah, well, I think Kasumi's a hell of a lot better lookin' than the Chinese bimbo anyway. She ain't no old maid. And I ain't immune to physical charms either.  
  
Ah, hell. Nerima timing as usual. The rest of the Tendos have all shown up. Soun overreacts. He always does.  
  
"WAAAAAAAAAH!!!! MY LITTLE BABY IS DYING!!! WAAAAAAH!!!"  
  
"Honestly, Daddy, I'm fine, I'm just feeling a little tired and..."  
  
And I'm in trouble with Akane. As usual. "Ranma you pervert! How dare you hit on my sister!"  
  
How wrong you are, Akane. The one person I would never hit on would be your sister. I respect her too much. Unfortunately, my mouth has been commandeered by Saotome Foot in Mouth Syndrome. Nabiki says somethin' to Kasumi, but I'm too concentrated on tryin' to close my mouth. Too late.  
  
"A-Akane! I didn't do anything! Honest!" Not gonna work. No way.  
  
"Like I'm going to believe a pervert like you!" Here it comes. I barely even feel it these days - I'm just flyin' through the air a second later. Looks like I'm gonna land at Tofu's again. Second trip there today.  
  
The Doc's cool. Actually, I hope that he gets over his problem with Kasumi soon. He seems like the one guy who deserves her here. Oh, I hold no illusions in that regard. I don't deserve her. I love her - yeah, I can say it now. I'm not allergic to that phrase anymore. But I don't deserve her.  
  
After he patches me up, he asks me why I arrived via the roof. Like the idiot I am, I answer. "Well, Akane got mad when she thought I was hittin' on Kasumi..."  
  
Oops.  
  
"Kasumi! Isn't that nice, Betty?" He starts dancing with his skeleton again. I get out of there before he presses any bad pressure points.  
  
This ain't my night. A little old lady dumps water on me on the way back to the Dojo. Soaked, cold and female, I enter and go to the kitchen for hot water. Luckily, no one seems to be around. I change back to male form and enter my room.  
  
Spoke too soon.  
  
"Whaddaya want, Nabiki? Oh, why ask?" I start to pull out my wallet, but she waves a hand, signaling me to stop.  
  
"What do you feel about Kasumi, Ranma?"  
  
My mind goes on vacation. "Uh, uh, what?" I can't have heard that right. No way she could'a figured out what I feel for Kasumi. I've been hiding it really well.  
  
I think.  
  
"You heard me, Saotome. What. Do. You. Feel. About. Kasumi?"  
  
I really don't want to know what she'll do with this information. It could hurt Kasumi. And so, despite the fact that I'm the worst liar in town, I ain't tellin' her anything. I stare her straight in the face. "No. You're not getting anything at all out of me."  
  
She starts to pull out what look like photographs, but I cut her off angrily. "No means no in this case. I don't care WHAT those photos are. You are not going to get anything, because you'll hurt Kasumi with it." I am dead serious. Nabiki should be able to pick up on that.  
  
She does. "Well, Saotome, you really mean it, don't you. Didn't think you had it in you." She cocks her head to the side. "Guess I was right. Normally you'd do anything to get me to destroy these photos. But you really do care about her."  
  
I hold her gaze. I'm not goin' to either confirm or deny that. Cool phrase, eh? Picked it up in a gaijin movie last week.  
  
Nabiki pushes off the wall and walks toward me. Surprisingly, she only says one thing to me before she leaves. "Tell her, Saotome. Tell her now, while you can. And you owe me for this."  
  
Of course. I always owe her. I... did she mean what I think she meant? No way. What's she gonna get out of this? I gotta think.  
  
Damn you, Nabiki. There's this little part of me that's hoping, now. Hoping that she feels the same way. I know it's ridiculous, but this is Nabiki. If she doesn't know it, no one does. Sure, she lies. But is she doin' that now? Is this a sick joke? Or do I maybe, just maybe, have a chance with the girl I love?  
  
  
  
End Part 2.  
  
Well, got it all done this afternoon. It was tough, though. Stupid arm brace. Stupid tendonitis in my wrist. Damn inconvenient to type. Hey, on the other hand, I get my driver's license on Saturday.  
  
Notes: I did my best with Ranma's thoughts and such. I've been told I'm pretty good at characterizing him in my Tribute to Feh, and I hope that carries over. Next chapter, I may switch points of view, or do it all third person. Probably the former. Basically, if you had yet to figure it out, their feelings will come into the open. What isn't decided is whether this is a 'happily ever after' fic or a 'Ranma and Kasumi deal with the shit hitting the fan in spades' fic. Let me know in your reviews. Or emails, for CoRK members who are willing to drop me a line on this one. I'm quite receptive to feedback, good or bad (unless it's mindless flames, in which case I nail you with sarcasm). My email is mlamdin@hotmail.com, so do write.  
  
Lord Iron Balls out. I'll try to update my other stuff soon. 


End file.
